Tap Almost ANYONE with the Dangerous Kneebar Submission

Kneebar Tips for Ultimate Pressure!

I’ll never forget my first tournament kneebar, because for a long time I had assumed the kneebar to be the “strong man’s leg lock.” Think about it, you need to control his entire leg with your body, not just an ankle or a heel.

For this reason, I avoided the heck of them in my first year or so doing Jiu Jitsu. Having had the fortune of training with leg lock masters from Ryan Hall to Toquinho has given me a different perspective on kneebars in general, specifically on making them perfectly tight so that they finish with ease.

Here are the MOST important details to finishing kneebars effectively.

1) “Stomping” is the Key Pressure

It’s not just about extending at the hips that generates TONS of kneebar pressure. You need your heels digging into your opponent’s tailbone or sacrum when you’re getting the tap as well. This not only allows you to “stomp” off of the opponent, it also keeps his hips pulled tightly into you.

2) High and Tight is Where the Leverage Is

Grips need to be as high on the foot as possible to ensure the tap. Most people hug around whatever part of the foot is closest to them (the middle of the calf, often times), but in fact you want to be directly under the heel if not gripping the heel itself!

World’s best kneebar-er Davi Ramos shows this detail in spades at 45 seconds into this video below:

3) The 90-90 Rule

This pure body mechanics – and if you ask any weight lifter they’ll tell you the same thing: power comes best from hips and knees bent at a 90 degree angle. If your legs are extended by the time you get to the kneebar, or your hips are already pressed forward, you have a much more limited ability to force your pressure into the knee. Set up with the 90-90 and you power is concentrated enough to tap out almost anyone.

I hope these submission details come in handy, be sure to stay tuned right here at Grappler’s Planet! – and good luck locking knees!